5 Foods that can help you sleep better

 Dairy products like yogurt and milk boast healthy doses of calcium, and there’s research that suggests being calcium-deficient may make it difficult to fall asleep. Yogurt is a smart option for almost anyone, the health options are many. Yogurt is easy to include as a breakfast addition, or a good mid-afternoon snack.  Bulgur, barley and other whole grains are rick in magnesium—and consuming too little magnesium may make it harder to stay asleep, reported the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine. Lets face it, whole grains are not sexy, and there is almost no way to make eating whole grains exciting. But include some with your lunch and maybe you will not notice they are there.  Bananas, well-known for being rich in potassium, are also a good source of Vitamin B6, just as fish is, which is needed to make melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness), according to an article published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Bananas are easy to include in your diet, slice them up on your cereal, have a banana as a part of your lunch or an afternoon snack. View the list »
insomnia

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Most of us have had a restless night here or there, tossing around the bed wanting so desperately to be able to fall asleep, we roll over and look at the clock and it is only a few hours before the alarm will sound and the new day will need to begin. For most of us this only happens occasionally. But for a surprising number of Americans, insomnia is a chronic problem, and some estimates have the number of sufferers around 30 percent of the population.

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Some people have trouble falling asleep. Others can’t stay asleep. And then there are the people who have trouble turning life “off” and tucking into bed at a reasonable hour.

There is so much going on in our lives, and relaxing is sometimes hard to do. With iPhones and Blackberries making work a 24/7 venture while keeping the kids from strangling one-another. We have laptops, smart-phones, tablets that are easily taken into the bedroom.

Adding these foods to your diet may help to increase your ability have a good nights sleep.

View the list
  •  Bananas, well-known for being rich in potassium, are also a good source of Vitamin B6, just as fish is, which is needed to make melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness), according to an article published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Bananas are easy to include in your diet, slice them up on your cereal, have a banana as a part of your lunch or an afternoon snack. 
  •  Bulgur, barley and other whole grains are rick in magnesium—and consuming too little magnesium may make it harder to stay asleep, reported the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine. Lets face it, whole grains are not sexy, and there is almost no way to make eating whole grains exciting. But include some with your lunch and maybe you will not notice they are there. 
  •  Dairy products like yogurt and milk boast healthy doses of calcium, and there’s research that suggests being calcium-deficient may make it difficult to fall asleep. Yogurt is a smart option for almost anyone, the health options are many. Yogurt is easy to include as a breakfast addition, or a good mid-afternoon snack. 
  •  In a small study, melatonin-rich tart cherry juice was shown to aid sleep. When adults with chronic insomnia drank a cup of tart cherry juice twice a day they experienced some relief in the severity of their insomnia. Try a cup with breakfast, and then a cup after lunch, but before dinner time. Or add in with milk and yogurt for a tasty desert. 
  • Most fish—and especially salmon, halibut and tuna—boast vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness), according to an article published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.
View the list

, Cincinnati Health Care Examiner

Thadd Scott is a lifelong resident of Cincinnati, and went to Xavier University. He has worked n healthcare management since 2003; with patients, doctors, hospitals, managers and owners of companies. Healthcare and it’s accessibility to all Americans is his passion, and his number one social and...

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